Will a laser actually make me shoot my sr22 better?

[Travis Bickle]

I have a ruger sr22 and I like it a lot. However the groups I shoot with it are at least 4 times the size of groups I shoot with my ruger mkII competition slab side. I dont expect to ever shoot as good as I do with the mkII but I do want to get better. I feel like the short sight radius (and probably the trigger too) are making me shoot worse with the sr22. I have never had a laser mounted on a handgun so I dont know what to expect. Would a laser make things easier or is the sr22 just an inherently inaccurate design? Has anyone attempted to lighted the trigger on theirs?

 

[Mooseman]

A laser will let you know just how unsteady your hand is.

 

[BradMacc82]

A laser will let you know just how unsteady your hand is.

It will do that, for sure.

OP, IMO, laser sights on handguns are just a crutch. If you want to get better with that particular handgun, all you need to do is keep practicing. Simple as that.

Smooth pull, good sight picture.

No add-on is going to make you a better shooter, only practice will do that.

 

[Boom Boom]

A laser itself does not make you a better shooter.

If you allow it to, a laser will:
1) Build overconfidence
2) Lull you into very bad habits (like depending on the laser dot instead of properly aiming the gun)
3) Lull you into practicing far less often

Possible positives:
1) Helps to teach better trigger and aiming discipline
2) Might allow better aim in low light under stressful conditions
3) Might allow you to make a difficult shot if a bad guy is fighting with you

 

[smokey]

It's likely a sight-alignment issue coupled with the trigger issues of moving from the slabside to the sr22. Tossing a LASER on won't improve your sight-alignment issues, but it will act as a replacement for having to align the sights. Give it a shot and see. The most valuable use for the LASER is likely going to be the bio-feedback on trigger issues. Get some snap caps and put the LASER on a small target in a "safe" direction. Practice pressing through the trigger, cycling the slide, and resetting the trigger without moving the dot off the target. The dry-fire practice should go a long way to improving your trigger-technique.

Of course for the sight-alignment issues, you're going to have to just practice-practice-practice.

 

[BradMacc82]

A laser itself does not make you a better shooter.

If you allow it to, a laser will:
1) Build overconfidence
2) Lull you into very bad habits
3) Lull you into practicing far less often

Possible positives:
1) Helps to teach better trigger and aiming discipline
2) Might allow better aim in low light under stressful conditions
3) Might allow you to make a difficult shot if a bad guy is fighting with you

I'll agree with that one with one caveat - It'll only aid in aiming if it's properly zero'd.

The rest of your points I'm in full agreement on.

 

[SCARCQB]

Battery dependent marksmanship.

 

[Boom Boom]

I'll agree with that one with one caveat - It'll only aid in aiming if it's properly zero'd.

Very good point. A lot of people just install the laser and never consider zeroing it in.

 

[smokey]

Very good point. A lot of people just install the laser and never consider zeroing it in.

How to zero it is another conversation altogether. I have a crimson-trace grip I occasionally toss on the m&p9c. I don't like a true zero where the impact intersects the laser at a given distance. I prefer to run the LASER roughly parallel to the path of the bullet. That way it doesn't matter as much what distance the target is away from me, I can just place the dot just a little down and right of what I want to hit and it goes there. I do find it harder to line up the normal iron-sights with the beam bouncing back at my eyeball. I just remove the LASER when I want to shoot with irons again.

 

[Travis Bickle]

I think you guys are getting the wrong idea on the application of this pistol. Its a .22 pistol, a gun I shoot pretty much every range visit simply because its fun to shoot. I dont really see it as a serious training tool or anything other than recreational shooting. Getting tighter groups would make this pistol more fun to me, but if it were as simple as slapping a laser on your pistol I feel like a lot more people at the range would actually be using them.

 

[mopar92]

Use a smaller target. Smaller targets and longer distances make you work harder.

 

[Boom Boom]

I think you guys are getting the wrong idea on the application of this pistol. Its a .22 pistol, a gun I shoot pretty much every range visit simply because its fun to shoot. I dont really see it as a serious training tool or anything other than recreational shooting. Getting tighter groups would make this pistol more fun to me, but if it were as simple as slapping a laser on your pistol I feel like a lot more people at the range would actually be using them.

What distance are you shooting and what size is the target? If you're far off the mark now, a laser will make you worse if you get dependent on the laser dot and try shooting later without it. IMO, any range practice has the potential to improve or degrade overall skill. For that matter, bad habits in long gun shooting can spill over to handguns and vice versa. Think of it this way. When I'm at the range enjoying something from my collection, I'm always cognizant of my technique and what I can do to better myself, even if I'm shooting a few rounds through antiques.

That said, the SR22 is generally an accurate pistol. Probably more accurate than the average shooter. Instead of a laser, you might be better off bringing an experienced shooter with you to the range to monitor and help you. It also can't hurt to record yourself on video and play it back to see what changes when you're accurate versus when you're not.

 

[Travis Bickle]

What distance are you shooting and what size is the target? If you're far off the mark now, a laser will make you worse if you get dependent on the laser dot and try shooting later without it. IMO, any range practice has the potential to improve or degrade overall skill. For that matter, bad habits in long gun shooting can spill over to handguns and vice versa. Think of it this way. When I'm at the range enjoying something from my collection, I'm always cognizant of my technique and what I can do to better myself, even if I'm shooting a few rounds through antiques.

That said, the SR22 is generally an accurate pistol. Probably more accurate than the average shooter. Instead of a laser, you might be better off bringing an experienced shooter with you to the range to monitor and help you. It also can't hurt to record yourself on video and play it back to see what changes when you're accurate versus when you're not.

On a normal day i will set the target in at around 8-10 yards then try to hit quarter sized stickers I take from the shoot and see targets or cut up and clip shotgun shells to my target stand and try to hit those. I can hit them with my mkII, but if I ever hit them with my sr22 it feels more like luck and random chance rather than an intended hit

 

[Boom Boom]

Are you shooting offhand or from a rest? If from a rest, assuming you're not flinching, check closely for muzzle damage. Besides that, there's always a possibility the barrel is bad. Offhand, I can paint a quarter-sized hole or smaller at 25 feet with my 22/45s and Buckmarks. SR22 patterns should be somewhat bigger because of the shorter sight radius but not horribly worse if the shooter isn't to blame.

 

[Blaster229]

No. It won't.

 

[Gryphon]

A laser will let you know just how unsteady your hand is.

Agreed.

IMO a laser is a gimmick. I have tried one and dumped it. If you couldn't hit the broad side of a barn it might help. Otherwise, trying to keep that damn dot on the target is more distracting and time consuming than the benefit it supposedly provides.

Assuming you are talking self-defense, and that should be the case because lasers in target shooting comps just don't make sense, you are trying to hit center mass quickly and not a bulls eye. The fact they we all have unsteady hands is a given but beside the point. You need to practice enough to overcome the unsteadiness and harness instinctive shooting skills that will get lead on target quick.

For self defense it makes no difference if you can hit a 4" target after calming down, breathing correctly, etc. You have to be able to instinctively hit a larger target with speed.

If you have ever shot sporting clays you know what I a mean. You can't take the time to "aim" - that's too late.

 

[BradMacc82]

Another aspect that's being overlooked - What ammo are you shooting?

Cheap(ish) bulk .22LR? That could be a huge obstacle in and of itself.

 

[Mark75H]

My suggestion would be snap caps. See if you are moving the gun while pulling the trigger. I learned I was doing that and learned to use several different trigger finger positions depending on which gun I was shooting.

 

[Travis Bickle]

Are you shooting offhand or from a rest? If from a rest, assuming you're not flinching, check closely for muzzle damage. Besides that, there's always a possibility the barrel is bad. Offhand, I can paint a quarter-sized hole or smaller at 25 feet with my 22/45s and Buckmarks. SR22 patterns should be somewhat bigger because of the shorter sight radius but not horribly worse if the shooter isn't to blame.

I never shoot rested unless im messing with my sights. My 7" ruger mkii does have a way longer sight radius and is more than twice as heavy, probably making it easier to steady offhand

Another aspect that's being overlooked - What ammo are you shooting?
Cheap(ish) bulk .22LR? That could be a huge obstacle in and of itself.

This could defiantly be it. I was originally shooting cci standard velocity but have switched to golden bullets because that's just all I could get my hands on

My suggestion would be snap caps. See if you are moving the gun while pulling the trigger. I learned I was doing that and learned to use several different trigger finger positions depending on which gun I was shooting.

I doubt this is the issue, although the trigger is too long it still has a pretty light pull. It's similar to a berreta 92 in single action only not as good. I do have some snap caps though so I'll at least give it a try next time im shooting

 

[Mooseman]

When the SR22 first came out, all the reviews said not to expect Mark accuracy from them. I shoot mine okay but not like my Marks.